French authorities reacted following statements made by Azerbaijani officials during the Baku Conference on Climate Change in 2024 (COP29). The Azerbaijani ambassador to Paris was summoned by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Quai d’Orsay, to explain these remarks.
An official statement from Paris specified that the summons was linked to “unacceptable statements by Azerbaijani officials towards France and Europeans. » This reaction led Agnès Pannier-Runacher, French Minister of Ecological Transition and Energy, to cancel her participation in the conference.
The document also mentions that “Azerbaijan’s hostile actions must stop. » During the conference, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev criticized France for its “colonial rule,” accusing the country of having caused “environmental degradation” in territories described as “colonies,” citing in particular nuclear tests in Polynesia French and Algeria.
Mr. Aliyev also pointed the finger at President Emmanuel Macron, making him “responsible for the explosions of violence” that occurred in New Caledonia during the year. These comments generated a strong reaction from the French authorities, marking a tense moment in diplomatic relations between the two countries.
